蔗尾蜂房

[放他出去] *
--Stevie Smith

我記得有位羅馬皇帝，最殘忍的其中之一，#
他喜歡去地牢看他悲慘的犯人們，
因為犯人會哀求他賜死，這時他會說：
噢不行、噢不行，我們的交情還沒這麼好吧。
他是說他們與自己的友誼尚淺還不夠格向他討死。
我幻想著我想死的時候，我的「謬斯」會說：
噢不行、噢不行，我們的交情還沒這麼好吧。

接著「貞節女神」也會說：
我們的交情還沒這麼好吧。

一位詩人不夠格自殺
倘若他還無法聽清楚他的謬斯在說什麼，
「貞潔女神」的愛人也一樣
倘若他總是把她的約會延到明天。

但遲早有一天當一位詩人或任何人
經過了漫長的生活，有悲有喜，
現在卻很衰弱而且讓他的國家負擔他不起
就在這種再也無法做任何決定的時刻
幻想「生命」會走到他面前充滿愛意地說：
我們現在是好朋友了所以可以賜你一死；
然後他才可以自殺，然後
他出去了。

* Exeat為拉丁文，意思是「放他出去」。
#可能是指羅馬皇帝卡里古拉(Caligula)。


[Exeat]*

I remember the Roman Emperor, one of the cruellest of them,#
Who used to visit for pleasure his poor prisoners cramped in dungeons,
So then they would beg him for death, and then he would say:
Oh no, oh no, we are not yet friends enough.
He meant they were not yet friends enough for him to give them death.
So I fancy my Muse says, when I wish to die:
Oh no, oh no, we are not yet friends enough.

And Virtue also says:
We are not yet friends enough.

How can a poet commit suicide
When he is still not listening properly to his Muse,
Or a lover of Virtue when
He is always putting her off until tomorrow?

Yet a time may come when a poet or any person
Having a long life behind him, pleasure and sorrow,
But feeble now and expensive to his country
And on the point of no longer being able to make a decision
May fancy Life comes to him with love and says:
We are friend enough now for me to give you death;
Then he may commit suicide, then
He may go.